MICROFREAK FIRST IMPRESSIONS - an Arturia Fanboys Perspective
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- čas přidán 17. 04. 2019
- Today we are checking out the MicroFreak from Arturia. If you want a MicroFreak check it in stores here:
MICROFREAK
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/457192?offid=...
US: imp.i114863.net/ZknZK
OTHER GOOD STARTER SYNTHS
Original Minilogue
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/379052?offid=...
US: imp.i114863.net/2PbZM
Korg Minilogue XD
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/465932?offid=...
US: imp.i114863.net/Rxg72
Argon8
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/473936?offid=...
US: imp.i114863.net/0bKWL
Modal Electronics Cobalt8
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/506277?offid=...
US: imp.i114863.net/eDP4X
Affordable eurorack modules (Dreadbox Chromatic Series)
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/486796?offid=...
US: imp.i114863.net/kjeaad
US: bit.ly/dreadbox2
Korg NuTekt NTS1
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/473592?offid=...
US: imp.i114863.net/2OR10
Reface CS
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/368212?offid=...
US: imp.i114863.net/PLJLR
HydraSynth
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/527778?offid=...
US: imp.i114863.net/5b6MZ2
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Today we are checking out the MicroFreak from Arturia.If you want a MicroFreak check it in stores here:
MICROFREAK
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/457192?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/ZknZK
OTHER GOOD STARTER SYNTHS
Original Minilogue
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/379052?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/2PbZM
Korg Minilogue XD
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/465932?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/Rxg72
Argon8
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/473936?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/0bKWL
Modal Electronics Cobalt8
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/506277?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/eDP4X
Affordable eurorack modules (Dreadbox Chromatic Series)
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/486796?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/kjeaad
US: bit.ly/dreadbox2
Korg NuTekt NTS1
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/473592?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/2OR10
Reface CS
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/368212?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/PLJLR
HydraSynth
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/527778?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/5b6MZ2
just bought one of these during lockdown...and now all i want are 2 things..
1) to go back in time and record the 18hours of unbridled noise chaos i unleashed after unboxing
2) 3 more microfreaks
😂♥️
BoBeats awesome comment mate !
@@anniedarkhorse6791 : er..."easy" is the best/vaguest answer ive got. even though i love this thing, honestly, i may not be the best person to ask. its just a noise maker for me, i dont use 95% of its functions.. plenty of vids on CZcams that would answer your question more satisfactorily ..have a good day
@@anniedarkhorse6791 : sorry i couldnt be more help..
Ill keep that in mind for when i order mine :D
hey synth fam! you can follow my synth life over on instagram.com/bobeats
The fact that they released huge free updates for this synth while the price has been slowly decreasing is just crazy.
Haha “slowly decreasing”
Agreed, from a short-term profit standpoint, it makes no sense at all. But if you want to build a dedicated user/customer base that essentially markets your product and brand for you, over-delivering on value is a great way to go. I wish more businesses could/would deliver in this way.
Agreed, but I just bought mine today...$370.00 with tax. I don't think the new price has decreased.
@@mikemeengs5720 I just got one used for $274 and it’s in the mail right now. I’m so dang excited to get it lol.
@@cheapmusicgear Excellent! Enjoy!
Best review of the Microfreak I've seen to date. Thanks for showing in-depth the range of what it can do. I preordered it a few weeks ago, and cannot wait to create with it!
The Microfreak strikes me as one of the most creativity-inspiring synths I've seen in a long time. While I love my analog synths, I feel like we're starting to see digital oscillators make a comeback and I think that's because with the massive improvement in processing power we have today, digital synthesis sounds better than ever, digital modeling is better than ever, and (perhaps most importantly?) the possibility of so many different waveforms makes for extremely interesting sounds. Also, being digital, it's easier to make the components smaller and cheaper, which I'm all for as long as it doesn't mean sacrificing quality.
There's a lot of cool features in this synth and it looks like they created a very intuitive and user-friendly layout. It doesn't seem hard to make interesting sounds with this thing, and because of that I could see myself spending hours with it just going from one sound to the next. These cheap, but powerful little synths are massively appealing to me because I already have a couple large synthesizers and I can always use them to trigger notes if needed, but it's nice to have an octave or two to at least sample the sounds as I'm creating them.
Yes, please, MORE of the Microfreak! This is sure to be a must-buy synth given it's unique nature, nice feature set, and quality and variety of sounds. I'm a bit of an Arturia fanboy myself, but this thing really knocked my socks off when I heard it. Great first impressions video, I would love to hear more!
Loved the comedic opening....The sounds of this unit are incredible! Thanks for playing through it and exploring.
Honestly this is the first demo i've heard of this thing that actually made it sound half decent, well done
I can’t stop discovering how amazing the patches can be on this synth. The depth and layering possibilities allow for really impressive chords and leads!
Thanks, Bo, for this impressive presentation. It sounds much better I expected. Especially the 'bell'-like sounds are nice to me.
looking forward to it! versatility and aesthetics drew me in at first sight.
Definitely looking at getting one! Thank you for sharing!!
Mine arrives tomorrow!!! Cannot wait.
Just bought a Minilogue XD (which I love) but I can’t deny this is also a very unique and appealing synth. Great review, thanks Bo.
That “RIP” moment killed me... 😂 Great video! Thank you for this!
Great review. Was interested before as the price point is nice. Seeing your review has won me over some more.
Great video. Best demo / overview yet. I’ve had one on pre order since early March. Very exciting. Looks like a great little synth with some fantastic features for this size and price point. Can’t wait to get my mitts on it 👍
Dang Bo, making that Freak sing! Best demos I've heard of this synth by far!
Preordered it at my local store 5 minutes after release...and now I'm waiting for it. I think together with my Zoia it will be an interesting match. 😊😉
Really cool! I feel it like a 'micrologue'. Thanks for the videos Bo!!!
Thanks Bo. Got mine yesterday. It is amazing.
Loved the review. Going to the city tomorrow (I’m fairly rural) and I’ve been thinking about picking one of these up for a while to connect with my Force as my S61 is just too big to be practical for my use. Been watching your videos since I picked up my circuit, keep up the good work!
I love how it sounds. So yea, I'm definitely interested.
I think I might need one of these. Thanks for the upload.
Fun, Fun Video...Nice Job! And I can't believe just how MUCH Arturia Swag U got in the box! I can't wait to Cop my own MicroFreak!!
Sounds interesting! Definitely usable range of sounds and the UI seems intuitive but powerful. Great review. If I was in the market for something with this form factor this would be right near the top of my list at only $400 CAD.
Wow that actually sounds goosebump nice : )
Sounds like I’ll have a lot of fun with this. I’m looking forward to getting mine soon :)
2:02
Yep, the microfreak is now on my must have list
Bought one of these a couple days ago! It’s capable of some really deep and varied chill tones. I usually just play around with the softer presets until I tweak it enough to sound unique. Or start fresh with the Karplus string modeled synthesis mode. It’s a very capable synth. So much possibility in the modulation section, too. From nostalgic subtlety to outright madness. The filter is analog, and that stands out when the resonance is turned up and reverberates with your chords.
I didn’t expect this synth to have so much variety in styles for the price point.
It sounds massive and super interesting. I would love some demos exploring ridms and kind of drumachine/sequencing strategies
Thanks Bo for the closer look on the Freak! What I really dig about the synth is the versatility it offers! Decent sound possibilities and features like the paraphony and lots of osc modes are awesome. And saving patches is nice to have again, I mangle a lot on my semi modulars and recalling isnt always fun i've you are working on multible songs at once 😉 And finally, for the features it offers, the price is fair i would say.
Both my wife and myself would love to see this thing hooked up to your modular synth. We were thinking about getting one due to its great sound and unique surface that can control CV/gate/pressure.
It's the first review that really makes me wanna get it ^^
this synthesizer is for its price an interstellar bomb ..... I have been a dj for years and I think this is the first step for live and production that opens up to me with this device! These are exactly the sounds I'm looking for and love. Your video is honestly excellent!
brilliant! really inspirational wee demo. i think i'll buy one of these. really individual sounding synth
Super nice! Arturia have gassed me. This will complement my almost all analogue set up very well. Great price too.
Got to give it to them, those are some beautiful presets. Seems like a very versatile synth that doesn't have that "phat" analog sound but doesn't sound as tame as a Nord. This might have pulled me over the edge, really seems like a great addition to my current set up that can replace a lot of plug-ins I use in my productions.
The presets are quite decent! Which is rare imo
I was thinking of the minibrute 2, but I'm going to have to seriously look into this micro freak!
Wasn't sure after what I thought was some lukewarm NAMM coverage but this video might have convinced me. I am glad I can trust your opinion and judgement. Keep up the good work.
Arturia is making some of the best synths on the market. This little beast, you presented in such a nice way, begs to be explored!!
If you can get past the stubborn "not analogue" mental obstacle, I really don't know of a better synth for the money... So rich in features and sound manipulation. There's really no limits.
Damn it, Bo.... I wasn't really interested in this at first... now you have me looking up it up on Amazon....
At 7:07 really cool... so much electronic music there / synth music from the 80's there.. thanks Bo...Tack!
What a great hands-on review! Was debating whether or not the mikrofreak was the one for me…and you just made the choice easy enough. That thing is a creative beast on its own rights.
Arturia owes you a sale on this one
You definitely changed my opinion of this synth.
ADHD Synth watch noir et blanc vie. He has some good insight into this as well. Seems glitchy
@sheepkillindog The firmware has to be updated, then all is well.
Try before you buy.
Hate the keys.
This looks amazing!! I love making weird synths and sounds. So far I've just been tinkering around with default synths in Garageband (they have a lot of nice, spacey experimental synths), but I might get this as my first real synth instrument!
I preordered one up Canada way. Still waiting for it to be shipped from Arturia. Excited for the digital sound to be added to my rig.
I am honestly having the toughest time choosing between the Microfreak and the Prologue 8! They both seems great. The Prologue sounds flippin' out of this world but the Microfreak is so cute, and I love how the keys are pressure sensitive... Plus the price is nice haha.
I've been doing a lot of research in preparation for my first synth. I really want to dive in and get one asap, but I'm taking it slow and trying not to purchase until the new year.
Finally a video with musical sounds instead of totally electrical sounds. Great job.
great video! Please do a full in depth review of this guy)
Bo! I love your channel, it's my favourite synth content on the web but I would love to see more MicroFreak content! That's my main synth and I love it. I'd love to see your thoughts on the synth after having it for a few years.
Cheers,
Omar
I just bought a microfreak from my local music shop. I had never heard of it but after playing with it for 5 minutes I had to have it!
Informative review, thanks!
This little screen is really useful, too bad they did had it when they made the matrixbrute... Let's wait for microfreak's brother because it has some potential! Analog dept is already so crowded, digital synth add something unique to our sound palettes
I have mine Hooked up to a keystep 37 with the extra features , it's is an amazing small desk top setup.
yeah I'm getting one. great demo!
I like how the envelopes and filter are displayed while you adjust the knobs. It would be nice to have something like this in Korg's logues (altough it's nice to see the oscilloscope most of the time, while adjusting envelopes I'd like to see the envelope).
I’m obviously late to the party, but I just paused the video and purchased one. Finally! Now on to the rest of your video. I know I won’t regret my purchase.
I would love to see the Model Samples with the Microfreak in action.
Got both. Got the microfreak updated (finally), now to sync them up. Also got a NDLR to add into the mix.
don't know whether its the chords you are playing but I have not heard a synth more designed for trance production since the roland jp 8000
That hit me too
Just wait until the poly 16 voice version is out. I bet that would be a trance monster. Who knows when we would get that though.....if we will even. Fingers crossed.
Agreed! Trance came to mind so strong here :)
ADHD Synth Yeah, let’s hope for a MaxiFreak too.
Then there's the JD-Xi... 😆
HOLY MOLY, I'm in love already :).
One month for mine to arrive home. (I'm counting on you Thomann)
Just waiting for Behringer Odyssey to be released, I have to decide between Odyssey or Deepmind 6 :(
DM12! There you go, I've solved your quandary. Idk why anyone would get a DM6, the DM12 is only like 100 bucks more!
nice review.. def hearing the technoes within :))
Got one. And very happy!
This is such a bargin but not cheap sounding, very capable synth, well done Arturia.
i really enjoy it but i might wait until i can afford the minilogue XD. I'll have to jump at the shop to try it to decide !!!
Gotta reinforce others here and say I'm so glad you actually showcased the wide range of sounds that can be extracted from this thing
OK I need one. The range of sounds looks very usable
I love Arturia they do great stuff! The sound from 2:50 is what I’ve been after now
Yes, I just ordered one. Since I am from the future I am looking forward to the 2.03 firmware, chords and scales! Please do a video with the Arp, Sequencer, chords and sclaes please!
Another owner from the far(ther) future, it even has a vocoder mode now, seriously this little guy just gets more and more tricks!
oh when it drops :O lol nice vid, i just got mine to play wit too. What a naughty little box!
It definitely sounds better here than in any other demo I’ve seen so far. It’s a very interesting piece and the filter sounds like the best one Arturia has implemented so far. But I’m struggling to see what it can do that my Blofeld can’t besides having the analog filter. Still pretty incredible for the price. Gonna be hard to resist for $299.
I think that our blofeld are way more complex to tame but offers so much territories soundwise! It's worth learning it inside out. For instance, it seems that you can't import wavetables on the Micro as you can with the waldorf. Not to mention the mod matrix.
Microfreak is tempting to me essentially for its simple to use interface,i like those keys also since I have a blo desktop.
ReAKTIV Arturia did mention that more wave tables and oscillators would be coming in the form of firmware updates which is cool and the price makes it almost worth it purely as a controller with polyphonic aftertouch and MPE control.
This will definitely be more hands on and performance friendly, I completely agree with you there. And the mod matrix on here is a huge plus especially for the low price. I have a desktop Blofeld as well but I’m currently using a Keystep which has aftertouch. Still, though. For $299 this thing is stacked with features.
Hands on control
This Micro Freak looks and sounds gorgeous - and the low price is gorgeous too. I am sorely tempted to get one (I reckon the Micro Freak would go well with my Novation Mono Station and Volca Drum).
Purchased! 1st impressions are, it sounds very rich and lively, it's easy to use if you know synths, its versatile, it bangs for the bucks!
beautifully designed synth
Nice review. Do you think this would work well with the Minilogue xd as a kind of bass synth? any other suggestions?
I’m waiting for it. Still not shipped. Seems it will arrive mid May. I’m impressed. It has more features than I expected. Great sound!
same here. Can't wait after hearing this - going to be a great addition to my setup
I just read the manual already available on the website -- it's very well written with lots of great tips. Insane how many different ways you can modulate every control on this box.
mr.bo what i should get for synths as i keep seeing things i like on your channel and i want EVERYTHING. ahhh so much amazing gear
Wow, nice sounds. Sounds very flexible.
😍
So after watching the Loopop, Stimming, Jade Wii demos, and then coming back and watching this again, I’m sold on the MicroFreak. The preset demos up to this point were bad but being able to see you guys really dive into showed what it’s really capable of. It sounds great and it maybe the most feature packed synth for the price besides maybe a Blofeld. Absolutely insane what you get for $299.
Cool! Yeah I mean if you want a fun digital synth this is a no brainer. I am enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. And I have the XD here for comparison which is also fun. But. Its the old analog style synth with a topping of digital. The Freak is just much more original
BoBeats I agree. I love the XDs sound but the MicroFreak is such a more interesting piece of gear and all the synthesis types really opens up the sonic possibilities almost limitlessly. Needless to say I have one on preorder now :)
Well Bo....thanks to watching you tinker around with this thing, and for quite a while also...I realize I'm a button pusher and knob tweaker type of creator...sliders, cables and connections, hands on the instrument or fx unit and controllers. So...the Microfreak is moving in, no doubt about that! Thank you Bo :)
An update just for the hell of it, ordering the Microfreak on monday most likely. This thing looks wicked cool!
Can you imagine me waiting for two years before jumping on board the Microfreak? The recent updated firmware 4 enables vocoder features, which made me fall on my knees and clicked BUY for the vocoder edition in white and with a gooseneck microphone.
This machine has so much options to tweak, it's just scary. You don't have that fear, so it helped me to watch along with your discovery journey.
Btw: the firmware works on all Microfreaks, any microphone will do, but for little extra money you can add the gooseneck mike to your phreak!
Enjoy all new features, maybe you can do a firmware upgrade review soon?
Quick question, it has a time synch on it correct? so could it easily be connected to a volca or a pocket operator without midi?
it also does a really great supersaw!
When you dive into it further, I’m curious if the sequencer can drive external gear decoupled from the Freak’s synth, so that the freak could be played manually... or vice versa. I suppose local off could be used to drive external gear while the the sequencer would drive the freak. Basically curious about using both keyboard and sequencer to drive two independent midi channels.
Definitely getting a MicroFreak
Still waiting on my mine, I seriously can't wait, I think they should be shipping April 30th, so far away...
What a beautiful wall!
Can you separate the sequencer between internal and external? So I could use the sequencer to sequence Eurorack and use the keys to play the freak? And vice versa?
Note to Arturia! I was on the fence about this synth until seeing/hearing this vid! Bo crushes it!
Yo Bo, what Synth would you recommend as your first one when mostly working in Ableton and the Push 2?
First time a video has actually made me think this machine is a good idea. Great job, Bo!
Exactly what I've been looking for.
So much modulation at your disposal. I ask you, good people, what other piece of hardware could do what this does?
I was thinking about a few synths with a roli, but now we are twice the price at least.
Hi nice share from a microfreak experience. Just to refer to the touché, would you have an idea how both would play and if touché may control some parameters here ? Thanks again
Really does quite a few things for the price! It had me interested at Paraphonic...
I love mine. I don't try to make it sound 'analog' at all. I specifically try to coax digital weirdness out of it. It looks like a toy sorta but it's a very well designed instrument. I sequence mine with a Digitakt.
Like the synth a lot! (But hate the keys) thanks for uploading this!
It seems interesting for sound experiment. Cool arp/seq too. I'm curious about the Matrix and digital oscillator... Micro Freak can be the little weird touch in your setup! Thanx Bo for sharing.
Strange Oscillator the matrix rocks. I had a small presentation from an Arturia guy and it blew my mind that you can even assign the wave but also the general synth type to LFO and so on. So while you llay it can change frok sawtooth to Karplus Strong and so on ... it would have been great if they added a single CV in for modulation so you can use fun strange cv sources in the matrix.
@@VictorSteiner That sounds great ! Thanx for the info ! I hope a review soon...
lol UR CRAZY!!! had great laugh with the "fall"
You know when I first saw this it looked kind of gimmicky to me but I'm really suprised with capable this synth is. Thanks for the demo!